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Japanese phenom Itsuki Hirata is gearing up to finally share the circle with Ham Seo Hee, and 'Android 18' has been sharpening her skills in New York City.
Hirata and Ham were originally scheduled to fight at ONE Championship 163 last November, but HIrata failed the hydration test, causing the bout to be canceled.
They're now slated to finally square off at ONE Fight Night 8 on Prime Video in March. Itsuki Hirata has been working in NYC at the 10th Planet and Carnicella MMA gyms, telling ONE:
"I came back to New York City two months ago and have been training every day for this fight. I've been sharpening my grappling and striking techniques here."
Itsuki Hirata is proud to be a major part of Japanese MMA history
Hirata has been very impressive since joining ONE Championship in 2019, going 5-1 with four stoppage victories. Her lone defeat came by way of a split decision against Jihin Radzuan last March.
Despite being so young, 'Android 18' is etching herself into Japanese MMA history, which she couldn't be more proud of:
“I feel like I am already a major part of the history of Japanese MMA. There’s no other fighter right now walking the same path as me. I feel like I am a unique and special kind of fighter. There’s a lot of people following my career, and that’s why I do my best day in and day out to be the fighter that people expect me to be. I just want to entertain the fans.”
Her upcoming opponent is currently the No.2-ranked fighter in the women's atomweight roster. Defeating Ham would go a long way in Hirata's rise up the rankings.
Make sure to tune in to ONE Fight Night 8 on March 24 to watch Itsuki Hirata take on Ham Seo Hee in a women's atomweight matchup live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. The entire event will be live and free to watch for North American audiences with an active Prime Video subscription.
Check out the top highlights from Japanese phenom Itsuki Hirata below:
